[VOA News] La Belle France has carried out Arclight airstrikes in Mali to support government forces trying to stem advances by Islamist bully boys.

La Belle France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, confirmed the air raids Friday, but declined to give more details about the military operation.

La Belle France announced earlier Friday that it had deployed troops to Mali at the request of the government. Troops from Nigeria and Senegal... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... also are in Mali to help government forces.

Malian military officials say the attacks have stopped the offensive by beturbanned fascisti. The rebels, who control all of the north of the country, had pushed south this week, taking the town of Konna. A Malian army officer, Colonel Oumar Dao, told news hounds that the troops from Nigeria, Senegal and La Belle France are in the central town of Sevare, not far from the town of Konna.